1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to a replaceable accessory cord and hands witch set for use with an electrosurgical instrument having no hands witch. More particularly, the replaceable accessory cord connects with the terminal of the electrosurgical instrument and the hands witch attached to the replaceable accessory cord mounts conveniently on the electrosurgical instrument, so the hands witch is accessible to the surgeon controlling the electrosurgical current delivery to a patient.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any electrosurgical instrument, such as scissors, graspers, a forceps, and the like, receives elecrosurgical current from an electrosurgical generator. A remote foot switch or hand switch connected to the electrosurgical generator normally controls the application of electrosurgical current to the electrosurgical instrument. Surgeons frequently prefer the convenience of using a hand switch. Since one hand of the surgeon holds the electrosurgical instrument, the finer actuation of a switch mounted on the electrosurgical instrument is convenient.
To minimize the cost of such electrosurgical instruments, suppliers frequently provide them without an integral hands witch for use by the surgeon. That omission benefits cleanability and sterilization after use if the electrosurgical instrument is reusable (as sterilization would ruin the hands witch circuitry), and minimizes replacement cost if the electrosurgical instrument is disposable. Consideration of the addition of a convenient finger switch may not be worth added expense.
Control of high frequency electrosurgical current at the electrosurgical instrument has long been a problem addressed in many ways. The use of fluidic control disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,363 teaches squeezing a bulb or closing a vacuum port by the surgeon to control electrosurgical current delivery to a forceps. U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,160 is a disposable electrode switch attached to a forceps and functional when the tines are squeezed together. In particular, the electrosurgical current is transmitted in a monopolar application when a terminal on the cord contracts bare metal on the forceps.
Removable hands witches for electrocautery instruments have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,980 and 4,552,143. Conductive spring clips attach the hands witches to an electrosurgical instrument such as scissors, graspers, or a forceps. The electrically wired hands witch allows current passage through electrically conductive clips for attachment to the electrosurgical instrument. Cutting or cauterizing electrosurgical current passing through the hands witch depends on the operation of the button by the surgeon. Insulated handles of the electrosurgical instrument protect the surgeon from the electrosurgical current, but nothing protects the surgeon from the exposed conductive spring clips. U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,007 discloses a hands witch for use in conjunction with electrosurgical instruments with several types of mounts for attachment. These mounting methods include a tubular clip, Velcro.RTM., tie straps, and dual clips for conjunction with slotted receptacles.
There has been a need to convert existing standard electrosurgical instruments such as "Endopath" instruments by Johnson & Johnson or the"Endo" products of United States Surgical Corporation to hand switching with a simple and low cost replaceable accessory cord and hands witch set. No combination of a replaceable accessory cord and hands witch set substitutes for the regular cord set by electrically coupling the electrosurgical generator and the electrosurgical instrument connects to and additionally affording finger switching on the electrosurgical instrument. No replaceable cord and hands witch set provides universal mounting capability to support a nonintegral hands witch button. No replaceable cord and hands witch set provides an attached hands witch for finger actuation of the switch button adhesively mountable on any reusable or disposable electrosurgical instrument. No replaceable cord and hands witch set provides secure attachment of the hands witch to the electrosurgical instrument by means of a mount or support resistant to longitudinal, lateral, or circumferential movement relative to the electrosurgical instrument.